Helping Baby Boomers to continue to earn income, as long as they want

07/03/2017

Baby Boomers Still Able to Work - Count Your Blessings, Instead of Sheep

In America there are media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and investment guru Warren Buffett. Both are in the late 80s. Neither indicate they will be retiring.

In Japan, there is cosmetics salesperson Yoskio Lida. She is 85. She also shows no signs of retiring from work.

Increasingly, the decision to keep working when over-65 is not about money. It's about the social reality that in developed economies one's worth is correlated with one's ability to keep generating income.

Even in supposed neutral settings such as a coffee fellowship after a church service, those who identify themselves as retired receive that glaze-over look. The "popular kids" are the men and women, no matter what their age, who are still in the game.

They are, for instance, useful for their connections. The guy who brought the finger food for the fellowship wants a reference for his son to get an internship at Company X or be hired at Law Firm Y.

They also are sources of just-in-time insight about professional trends. How many social network platforms do I really need to learn, I asked the head of a marketing agency after the church service. I trust hands-on players, not the supposed experts who contact us to download their e-book on digital contact marketing.

In addition, they don't have the time to take our time. The retired, on the other hand, can become pests presenting us compulsively with invitations to bus trips to the casino, early bird specials at the restaurant and the yoga class for senior citizens.

Of course, not everyone can remain employed or self-employed. Their health may be a problem. Their parents may require care-taking. They lack the drive to keep up with their field.

So, those of us who can continue to grow in our professions, no matter what our age, are the new class of blessed. Yes, I am grateful I can still operate my communications boutique.